[Editor’s Note:  for better or worse, faithful blog reader, you’ve got blog newbie Chris Opie (Bates ’15, go Bobcats!) tag-teaming with Chad tonight.]  

Take a seat, pull both seat belt straps securely over your shoulders, make sure the bar is lowered completely and get ready for a rip-roarin’ ride on the Apocoaster- it’s blog time! The sun is out (mostly), wheels are a’rollin, boots are laced and everyone is settling into their trip routines (if there’s anything routine about bagging summits and banging out forty mile days). Here at Apogee’s Brunswick Mothership, all is quiet- quiet enough for director Chad’s singing…and whistling…and drumming to be overheard from the room next door (though he has great music choice! [Ed. Note:  some might say superb musical taste…]). We’re all looking forward to some nice Fourth o’ July burgers, but we’re even more excited about the stories rolling in from the field…so without further ado …. it’s go time!

CI: Nothing says prepping for the Fourth like a Cape-bound ferry, Old Glory a-waving, bright colored Apogee tees and some rockin’ shades while sailing away from Nantucket. Our Capesters are riding north tomorrow and looking forward to a post-Fourth morning of surfing on Friday.

NEMCA: Where are they all pointing?! Is it a bird? A plane? No…it’s Emma and Phil’s group’s first presidential peak! Phil and Emma’s group have emerged from the rain and conquered Mount Webster (and look very, very closely – that is a patch of blue sky in the back ground!)  These guys are on to the waters of the Kennebec tomorrow!

NEMCB: It’s foggy, it’s wet, and there’s that ever tempting cog railway and mountaintop cafeteria…must be Mount Washington! Matt and Victoria’s group made it alllll the way up – every single one of the 6,288 feet falling to this group’s altitudinal voraciousness.  That is no mean accomplishment! Tomorrow brings a shorter hike, brighter skies, and a transition over to the great state of Maine for some rafting and kayaking!

The traditional post-Mt Washington parking lot collapse…

VM:  7/4/13 Update.  Our sincere apologies for not posting pictures or news about our Vermonsters yesterday!  It goes without saying that the group has had their share of wet weather the last week, but they’re heading into hopefully drier conditions over the next five days.  They spent yesterday morning volunteering with the Burlington, VT Parks and Recreation department clearing brush and cleaning up the Lake Champlain Bicycle Way/Path.  The afternoon was spent exploring Burlington.  Here are a few pictures from the last two days.  We’ll work hard to put more up pictures later in today’s blog post!

DEX:  Our DEXsters were living the life today – the skies finally cleared before dawn and they woke up to sunshine and lobster boats.  Not a bad way to greet the day.  After a final morning on the water, they spent the afternoon enjoying the many delights of Stonington, Maine – including ice cream and showers.  

Still chilly and damp – here’s a shot of the group yesterday as they powered through the collection of marine debris from islands in Isle au Haut Bay.  A little chill in the air won’t keep us from collecting trash – no, sir!

After three days of fog, the glare, the glare! 

CQA:  You won’t believe it from the first picture below, but the skies cleared for our Coast to Quebecers, too.  We promise!  Here’s Ben and Lizzie’s group before their ride into Camden today.  Still foggy, I know – but the afternoon pics from CQB below are evidence of actual sunshine on the coast!

CQB:  Ahh, the sweet, sweet feel of sunshine.  Way down near the end of the Pemaquid Peninsula, Posie, Postyn and their gang are drying the tents and airing out the shoes – they’ve got warm weather and clear skies tonight.  Huzzah!

What is this strange sense of warmth and comfort I feel?  Ohhhh, sunshine!

MSA: From the community garden – right back into the saddle, our Montanans cowboyed-up and conquered a four-mile climb today on their way towards Wolf Creek!    

CSA:  Way down in the high hills above Utuado, PR, our CSAers got their first taste of community service today, working in the plaintain groves on their hilltop finca.  In fact, they were so good, that they wrapped up the day’s project by the end of the morning and spent the afternoon hiking and taking an ocean dip.  Plans are in full swing for a celebration of the Fourth tomorrow – stay tuned.

PCA: Good food and inventive new Frisbee games  are the order of the day for Ally and Tim’s crew – that and a little ride from Oregon into Cali. How about a little surfing on the Fourth?  Sounds gnarly.

 Oh, hey guys – nice tortillas!

Miles of biking mean nothing to us – bring on more activities!

Sure, you can’t see anyone’s face, but that is an awfully nice sunset.

PCB: Mia and Jeremy’s group continue to rumble south in fine form – the glorious weather has everyone in high spirits!

Always safety-conscious, leader Jeremy bends over to protect the group from red ants.  That’s why we like him.

CMC: No pictures from our California Mountains and Coasters for the next couple of days – unless they get veeeerrry lucky with cell service.  They’re up in the high backcountry of Yosemite National Park near the beautiful Tuolomne Meadows.  When we do get their pictures on Saturday, you’re going to love them, I promise!  We did hear from Jack and CC last night – they sounded fantastic – everyone was very excited to get a taste of the real backcountry in Ansel Adams territory.

ACC1:  Ahh, the almost unimaginable luxury of sleeping in past 4:30!  It’s an off-day for Alexis and Nick’s group – and they cooking up a hearty serving of Happy Birthday today, too…congratulations to the two (two!) birthday riders! Of course it helps to be celebrating with a hearty breakfast of plentiful pancakes, eggs and bacon while on a rest day.  Back to work tomorrow, kids – Alabama awaits!

ACC2:  Still looking towards to their own first day off – Mike and McKayla served up a big serving of McMiles today – and gobbled them allll up.  They’re now in out of the rain and living the dream in good old Forsyth, GA.

ECC:  Meanwhile, a mere 4000-odd miles away, our ECCers gobbled up several baguettes worth of kilometers today as they got on their bikes in earnest for the first time and rode from Haarlem, NL down the coast to the seaside town of Monster (seriously…not even a bad Chad-joke…) today.  David reported a fantastic first day of great bonding and smooth riding.  We know – someone’s missing…  He was in the shower!